Health · Medical Research · 6 hrs ago
Study finds immune cells that can attack small cell lung cancer
Researchers at WEHI in Australia found gamma delta T cells can recognize and kill small cell lung cancer.
The cells may detect the cancer even when it hides from the conventional immune cells used by many immunotherapies.
In lab tests using miniature tumors made from patient samples, the immune cells attacked cancer cells effectively.
Patients whose tumors had more of these cells often lived longer, although the study does not establish that the cells caused the better outcomes.
The team also found that existing drugs, including tarlatamab and zoledronate, could boost the cells’ cancer-fighting activity.
This could offer another route to treating a hard-to-treat cancer, for which fewer than 7% of patients survive five years.
The findings suggest a possible way to strengthen treatment, but they do not show that this approach is ready for routine care.
Researchers at WEHI found that gamma delta T cells can recognize and kill small cell lung cancer, including cancer cells that evade conventional immune cells.
The study found that patients whose tumors contained more of these cells often had better treatment outcomes.
Researchers also found that two existing drugs could boost the cells’ cancer-killing activity.
The findings, published in Cancer Cell, suggest a possible new way to improve treatment for a disease with limited treatment options.
- Who
- WEHI researchers studied gamma delta T cells and small cell lung cancer.
- What
- The study found that the cells can recognize and kill the cancer, and that existing drugs can boost their activity.
- When
- The study was published on 2026-10-14.
- Where
- Researchers used laboratory mini tumors made from patient samples donated through the Victorian Cancer Biobank, in collaboration with the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
- Why
- Small cell lung cancer can evade conventional immune cells, limiting the benefits of immunotherapy for many patients.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Researchers created mini tumors from patient samples and combined them with gamma delta T cells taken from patients’ blood.
The team found the immune cells recognized and killed small cell lung cancer cells.
Researchers found that tarlatamab and zoledronate could amplify the immune response.
The study was published in Cancer Cell.
- Cancer type
- Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
- Immune cells
- Gamma delta T cells
- Study outlet
- Cancer Cell
- Drugs tested
- Tarlatamab and zoledronate
- Patient samples
- Victorian Cancer Biobank, in collaboration with the Royal Melbourne Hospital
What people are saying
We've found an immune cell that appears to be able to see through that disguise.
Strikingly, patients whose tumors contained more of these specialized immune cells often had better treatment outcomes.